Bias cutter



J. REHAK BIDAS CUTTER Sept. 29, 1931.

Filed March 14. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2'7L/E77ZZ7E James EE/za/r l g 00Sept; 29, 1931. l REHAK 1,825,250

BIAS CUTTER Filed March 14, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Eli-E,

I JUL/5777b James [FE/55.4:

Patented Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES REHAK, OFAKRON, OHIO, .ASSIGNOR TO THE B. F. GOODRICH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N.Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK BIAS CUTTER Application filed March 14,1930. Serial No. 435,760.

This invention relates to bias cutters and;

more especially to rotary bias cutters such as commonly are used in therubber industry for progressively severing continuous sheets 5 ofuncured rubberized fabric obliquely into relatively narrow strips. Theinvention, in part, is an improvement upon the rotary cutter of John R.Gammeter, Patent No. 1,57 7 620 issued March 23, 1926. V

Bias cutters of the character mentioned heretofore have been constructedwith a single means for removing the severed strips form the machine,said means comprising a liner upon which thesevered strips lay and iwith which they were interwound for storage or transport until such timeas the roll was unwound and the strips therein successively removed andspliced end to end to form a long strip, or otherwise utilized. Thedelivery speed of the machine and adhesion of the severed edges ofadjacent strips precluded the immediate removal of the strips from theliner as they emerged from the cutter.

The chief objects of this invention are to deliver strips of materialfrom a rotary bias cutter in laterally spaced relation, to deliverstrips of material from a rotary bias cutter at sufliciently separatedintervals to permit, immediate removal thereof from the i deliveringmeans; to obtain the advantages incident to the cutting of a pluralityof strips of different widths at each revolution of the cutter; to applyan identifying mark to the strips of various widths; to segregate thestrips of various widths automatically as they are delivered from thecutter; and to provide a single apparatus forv accomplishing theforegoing objects.

Of the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatusembodying my invention in its preferred form, a part thereof beingbroken away.

Fig. 2 is a section on a larger scale, on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Referring to the drawings, 10is a rotary, cylindrical drum upon which are helically wound a pluralityof flexible, yieldingly sup-.

ported, strips of metal or knives 11, 11, herein shown as six in number,the knives being circumferentially spaced'upon the drum at suchirregular intervals as to define thereon six intervening spaces of threedifferent widths. The drum 10 preferably is hollow, and is provided atitsrespective ends with spokes 12, 12, and hubs or trunnions such as thehub 13, Fig. 2, the latter being journaled in suitable journal brackets14 mounted upon a basecasting 14 a Mounted in a suitable framework 15associated with the aforesaid structure is'a hardsurfaced roll 16,preferably of metal, against which roll the knives 11 are adapted to cutthe fabric 17 which constitutes the work, the latter passing partlyaround said roll to the cutting position, and being pressed against saidroll bythe knives 11 which sever the fabric along oblique lines intorelatively narrow strips'18, 19, and 20, of three different widths, Theknives preferably are soarrangedon the drum that they out two strips ofdiffer: ent widths between successive strips of the same width. Thefabric 17 is drawn from a supply roll 21, of fabric and liner,rotatablym'ounted upon the framework 15, and a linerrewinding roll 22resting upon the supply roll 21 rewinds the liner as it is given ofi bythe rotation of said supply roll. 7

Suitably journaled guide rolls 28, 24, 25, and 26 support an endlessbelt 27, said guide rolls being so positioned with relation to the drum10 that one reach of the belt is guided partly around the drum, asshown, and serves to hold the severedstrips 18, 19, 20, firmly againstthe surface thereof. The belt '27 passes out of contact with the drumsubstantially at the lowest point of the latter, and is utilized forconveying the strips 18 fromthe drum as presentlywill be explained. Theguide roll 26 is adjustable for imparting ten sion to the belt 27.The'belt travels at the same surface speed asthe drum, and may befrictionally driven by the latter as shown, or it may be provided withany other suitable driving means.

, If the difference in width of the strips 18,

19, and is small, it will be desirable to apply an identifying mark toeach strip and for this purpose a wheel 28 is journaled in a bracket 15'rising from the framework 15,

the periphery of the wheel being provided with suitable yielding stampsor types 29, 29, preferably of rubber, which engage the fabric sheet 17,upon the roll 16, in succession as said roll and the wheel 28 arerotated. An inking roller 30 is journaled on the framework 15 and makescontact with the stamps 29 for inking the same. The arrangement of thestamps 29 upon the wheel 28 corresponds to the spaces between theseveral knives 11 upon the drum 10, the wheel being substantially thesame diameter as said drum.

The best functioning of the apparatus requires that the drum 10, roll16, and wheel 28 shall rotate at the same surface speed and for thisreason it is preferable that they be interconnected and positivelydriven. For the purpose of so driving the parts mentioned. a sprocket 31on the shaft 32 of the wheel 28 is connected by a sprocket chain 33 witha. sprocket (not shown) of suitable size mounted upon the shaft 34 ofthe roll 16, and another sprocket (not shown) on the said shaft 34 isconnected by a sprocket chain 35 with a sprocket 36 mounted upon the fartrunnion or hub 13 of the drum 10. Another sprocket, 37 mounted upon thesame trunnion 13 is connected by a sprocket chain 38 with a source ofmotive power (not shown).

The respective strips 18, 19, and 20 are removed from the drum 10selectively at different angular positions of the latter, and pass ontorespective conveyors where successive strips are positioned in spacedrelation to facilitate the removal and disposition of the strips. Theconveyors are designated 39, 40. and 41, and are adapted to receive thestrips 18, 19. and 20 respectively. Said conveyors comprise endlessbelts which are mounted upon the usual. end-pulleys of which only theend pulleys 42, 43, and 44 respectively, which are positioned adiacentthe cutting apparatus, are shown. The pulley 42 is iournaled in thebase-casting 14 below the roller 25, and the conveyor 39 is adapted toreceive the strips 18 as the latter are de livered from the belt 27.Pulleys 43 and 44 are journaled in suitable arms, such as the arm 14,Fig. 1, formed on the ournal brackets 14. and are so positioned that theconveyor belts 40, 41. are close to the surface of the drum 10 as theypass around said pulleys. The conveyors 39, 40. and 41 are driven in anyapproved or preferred manner substantially at the same surface speed asthe drum 10.

For holding the strips 19 and 20 to the drum 10 after the belt 2? haspassed out of engagement therewith. and for assuring positively that thesaid strips and the strips 18 will feed onto the respective belts 40,41, and the belt 27, suitable suction and pressure means is provided forengaging the leading end of each of said strips, and means is providedfor actuating said suction and pressure means at determinatetime-intervals.

Pressure and suction are brought to the apparatus in pipes 45. 46respectively which pipes connect with respective chambers 47, 48 in amanifold 49, and extending from the said chambers of the latter arepipes 50, 51, of which the pipe 50 from the chamber 47 is positionedinside the pipe 51, and is sufficiently smaller than the pipe 51 topermit fluid to flow in the space between the pipes. 11. manifold 52 isrotatably mounted upon the end of the pressure pipe 50. beyond the endof the pipe 51, and branch pipes 53, 53. extend radially therefrom andare threaded into apertures 54, 54, in the peripheral wall of the drum10 adjacent the end thereof. The apertures 54 are six in number and aredisposed between the respective knives 11, at the leading ends of thelatter when the drum is 1'0- tated in the direction indicated by thearrow in Fig. 1. Each of the pipes 53 is provided with a valve 55 whichhas an operating lever 56 extending therefrom between the spokes 12 ofthe drum to engage a suitable cam mounted upon the bracket 14. Thecam-engaging end of each lever 56 is provided with a cam-roller 57, andits opposite end is proided with a tension spring 58 which normallyholds the lever against an abutment 59, with the valve in closedposition.

In like manner a manifold 60 is mounted upon the suction pipe 51 and isprovided with radial branch-pipes 61, 61, which extend therefrom andhave their outer ends threaded into respective apertures 62, 62 in theperipheral wall of the drum, adjacent the respective apertures 54therein. Each of the pipes 61 is provided with a valve 63 which has anoperating lever 64 extending therefrom, between the spokes 12 of thedrum, to engage a cam mounted upon the bracket 14. The cam-engaging endof each lever 64 is provided with a cam roller 65 and the opposite endof each lever is provided with a tension spring 66 which normally holdsthe lever against an abutment 67, with the valve in open position. Thecam-rollers 57, 65 are positioned closely adjacent each other so thatthe suction and pressure to the respective zones of the drum arecontrolled substantially concurrently. Each group of levers 56, 64comprises three different lengths with two levers of each length, andthe respective valves for the different-length levers are positioned atdifferent points radially of the drum, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit thelevers to engage respective cams.

The cams for actuating the respective levers 56. 64 are mounted upon thebearing portion of the bracket 14 at the near side of the apparatus asviewed in Fig. 1.. They comprise three groups of two cams each which areso positioned as to engage respective levers 56, 64 at determinatepoints in the levers orbits,

which points correspond generally to the'positions where the conveyorbelts 27, 40, and 41, pass out of engagement with the drum 10. Eachgroup of cams comprises a relatively short cam adapted to engage a lever56, and by operating a valve 55, to release pressure fluid throughanaperture 54 of the drumwall for a brief interval. A longer cam,companion to said short cam, is adapted to engage a lever 64 at the sametime said shorter cam engages a lever 56, and by operating a valve 63,to shut off the suction in one of the apertures 62 in the drum wall,which suction normally is present 'in said apertures. The relativelylong cam remains in engagement with the lever64 until such time as therotation of the drum carries the shut-off aperture 62 to the top of itsorbit, Whereat it is overlaid by the fabric 17 as the latter passes ontothe drum from the roller 16.

Referring especially to Fig. 3, 68, 69, and are the relatively shortcams which engage the levers 56 of the pressure valves 55, and 71, 72,and 73 are the relatively long cams which engage the levers 64 of thesuction valves 63. Each of the short cams 68, 69, or

7 O is so positioned with relation to its respective companion cam 71,72, or 73, that the levers 56, 64 of each set are actuated substantiallyconcurrently. As previously stated, the respective cam groups are sopositioned as to engage the levers of different lengths at differentpoints inthe orbits of said levers, and the long cams 71, 72, and 7 3,all terminate at a common point. The respective cams of each group havethe same radial Width, but each group of cams, namely, 68 and 71, 69 and72, and 7 O and 73 have different radial widths to accommodate therespective pairs of levers which are positioned at different distancesfrom the axis of the drum,

In the operation of the apparatus, the respective movable members aredriven in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1, and theleading end of the stock 17 is carried around the hard roll 16 andstarted between it and the drum 10 where it is continuously fed and cutinto bias strips 18, 19, and 20 of various widths by rotation of saidroll and drum. As the leading ends of successive helical knives 11engage the fabric and are forced through it to sever the fabric, theleading ends of the stripsthus formed are subjected to suction appliedthereto through the apertures 62 in the drum wall, as the result of thesuccessive valve-levers 64 passing out of'engagement with the respectivecams 71, 72, and 73, whereby the valves 63 are opened to normalposition. The suction holds the leading ends of the severed stripsagainst the drum, assisted by the endless belt 27 which bears againstthe drum and passes partly around the same.

As the leading ends of the strips 18, 19, and 20, reach their propertaking off positions, the suction which holds their leading ends isbroken by the cams 71, 72, and 73, which engage the valve-levers 64 andclose the valves 63. The strips are then dislodged from the drum by jetsof air through the apertures 54 caused by the cams 68, 69,-and 7Oengaging the levers 56 of the pressure valves 55, momentarily, to openthe same. As the leading ends of the strips 18, 19, 20 are dislodgedfrom the drum they fall onto the respective belts 27, 40 or 41, and theweight of the strips is sutficient to peel them from the drum throughoutthe rest of their areas.

The material deposited on the belt 27 passes therefrom onto the belt 39.Operators are positioned beside the belts 39, 40, and 41 to remove thestrips 18, 19, and 20 therefrom and dispose of the same, the spacedapartposition of the strips on the respective belts providing suflicient timeintervals be tween strips to make this possible.

The machine is automatic in operation and effects the several advantagesset forth in the foregoing statement of objects The invention may bevariously modified within the scope of the appended claims.

T claim:

1. The'combination, with'a' bias cutter of the type comprising a rotarymember adapted to carry the out work upon its periphery, of meanscarried thereby for selectively removing work rom said member at aplurality of angularly spaced apart positions and means for selectivelyreceiving and delivering the work so removed.

2. The combination, with a bias cutter of the type comprising a rotarymember constituting one element of a cutting couple adapted to carry theout work upon its periphery, of a plurality of conveyors havingwork-receiving ends adjacent to said rotary member for removing worktherefrom at respective parts of its orbit, and means for dislodging thework from the said member selectively at the work-receiving ends of saidconvevors.

3. The combination, with a rotary bias cutter adapted to sever strips ofmaterial of various widths and comprising a rotary member adapted tocarry the out work upon its periphery. of suction means for holding theleading ends of the strips to the surface of the said member,fluid-impelling means carried by said rotary member for dislodging thestrips therefrom, and means for concurrently releasing the suction meansand actuating the fiuid-impelling means with respect to the strips ofrespective widths at different determinate parts of the members orbit.

4. In a rotary bias cutter the combination of a rotary knife-holdingdrum, a plurality of knives mounted helically thereon, a suction pipeand a fluid pressure pipe communicating with the surface of the drum ineach of the spaces between adjacent knives,

respcetive valves for said suction pipes and pressure pipes, and meansfor alternately operating said valves in timed relation to the rotation01" the drum to alternately hold the work thereon and discharge ittherefrom.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which the 'alve-operating meanscomprises stationary cams.

6. In a rotary bias cutter the combination of a rotary knife-holdingdrum, a plurality of knives mounted helically thereon and spaced atvarious distances from each other, means cooperating therewith forcutting sheet material, a suction pipe and a fluid pressure pipeextending radially from re spective axial manifolds and communicatingwith the surface of the drum between each pair '01"? knives thereon.valves in the respective suction pipes and fluid pressure pipes havingdifferent radial positions according to the difi erent widths of theinter-knife spaces with which their pipes communicate, and means for sooperating said valves to alternately hold and discharge successivepieces of work therefrom.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 25th day ofFebruary, 1930.

JAMES REHAK.

